 Born in Florence, Italy (Tuscany)  Attended University of Bologna  Studied Tuscan painting, Greek and Roman mythology, philosophy, music, and poetry, especially that of Homer and Virgil.  Wrote poetry in his vernacular language (Italian) instead of Latin  Wanted literature to be experienced by all Italians, not just the learned class

 In 1285, Dante entered an arranged marriage with Gemma Donati, a noblewoman  They had two sons, Jacopo and Pietro, and a daughter, Antonia  Dante’s great love was Beatrice Portinari, whom he met as a young boy  Beatrice was Dante’s inspiration for writing  After her death in 1290, he dedicated a famous work La Vita Nuova to her

 th century Florence was a place of political turbulence  Warring groups  Ghibellines wanted Holy Roman Emperor in power  Guelphs wanted the Pope to control politics  Guelphs won, but then split into two factions  Black Faction supported the Pope and Church  White Faction supported the Emperor

 Guess which side Dante was on? Dante favored the Guelphs - White Faction  Pope Boniface VIII favored the Guelphs - Black Faction. He excommunicated his opponents  Dante was exiled from Florence in He would have been burned at the stake if he ever returned to Florence.  Lived in exile for the remainder of his life

 Dante took his exile from his beautiful homeland to heart  Embittered by his political experiences in Florence, he took up his pen  Used literature to expose and punish those who had wronged him  The Divine Comedy presents a symbolic view of his life and political situation

 The Divine Comedy is a 3-part epic poem written by Dante 1. Inferno (Hell) 2. Purgatorio (Purgatory) 3. Paradiso (Paradise)  Epic characteristics  Elevated style  Hero as subject  Vast, dangerous setting  Supernatural beings  Not exactly hilarious, but fits medieval definition of “comedy”  Begins in tragedy (Hell), ends happily (Heaven)  Mixed narrative and dialogue in the poem

 Spirituality  Picaresque (an adventurer or rogue figure takes a journey)  Reversal of fortune (character’s situation changes due to events in novel)  Survival of the fittest (character must endure difficulty and challenge)

 Epic – long, narrative poem presenting characters of high positions in series of supernatural adventures in a vast and dangerous setting.  Canto – a section or division of a long poem  Terza Rima – 3-line stanza form popular with Italian poets. Rhyme scheme: aba, bcb, cdc, ded, etc.; usually iambic pentameter  Allusion – a reference in a literary work to another person, place or thing in history or in another work of literature  Imagery – language that affects the five senses  Mythology – the myths dealing with gods and goddesses of ancient Rome and Greece  Metaphor – a figure of speech comparing two unlike things without using like or as  Simile – a figure of speech comparing two unlike two unlike things using like or as  Personification – a figure of speech in which animals, ideas, and inanimate objects are given human form  Allegory – a narrative or character with meaning other than the literal one  Symbolism – The use of one object to represent another concept, theme, or object

 The number 3 is central to Dante’s work  Christian concept of the “trinity”  Divine Comedy is in 3 parts  Each part is made of 33 cantos (chapters)  In each canto, stanzas are 3 lines of verse (terza rima)  Dante’s spiritual quest through hell takes place over 3 days  Good Friday to Easter Sunday 1300

 Terza=three, rima=rhyme  Italian form of poetry in sets of 3 lines  Invented by Dante Alighieri and used by many Italian poets  Usually in iambic pentameter (unstressed followed by stressed syllables)  Follows this rhyme scheme: aba bcb cdc

In middle of the journey of our days I found that I was in a darksome wood The right road lost and vanished in the maze Ah me! how hard to make it understood How rough that wood was, wild, and terrible; By the mere thought my terror is renewed. More bitter scarce were death. But ere I tell At large of good which there by me was found I will relate what other things befell

In middle of the journey of our days A I found that I was in a darksome wood B The right road lost and vanished in the maze A Ah me! how hard to make it understood B How rough that wood was, wild, and terrible; C By the mere thought my terror is renewed. B More bitter scarce were death. But ere I tell C At large of good which there by me was found D I will relate what other things befell C

 Allusions, or references the author makes to other people, characters, and literary works, will be made throughout Inferno to  Political leaders  Religious leaders  Literary works and authors  Bible  Mythology – Greek and Roman  Dante’s personal life, including his great love, Beatrice, and favorite poet, Virgil

 An allegory is the discussion of one subject by disguising it as another, which resembles the first in a striking way  e.g., school as prison  Allegories teach moral lessons  Use of the visible, physical reality to explain the invisible or intangible  e.g., Greek gods

 Surface Story:  On Good Friday, Dante, age 35, finds himself lost and directionless in a dark forest  At the request of Beatrice ( “Divine Love” who resides in heaven), the ancient Roman poet Virgil ( “Reason” who inhabits a blameless region of hell as an unbaptized virtuous pagan) searches for the lost Dante.  On Good Friday 1300, Virgil finds Dante and they undertakes a quest for belonging and salvation (hell  paradise)  Symbolic Story (allegory):  Journey begins in despairing world not yet redeemed by Christ and ends with the poet’s return, having seen the divine grace of God

 Dante: Author and Protagonist  Virgil: Dante’s guide through hell and purgatory  Real Virgil died in 19 BCE: admired by Dante and held significance as pre-Christian prophet  Allegorically represents REASON  Beatrice: Dante’s star-crossed love and guide through Paradise  Allegorically represents DIVINE LOVE

 How can literature be used as a tool for social change?  How does allegory help explain the intangible?  Which traits, or “sins,” are part of our universal human experience?

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